Hyde’s Strength Odyssey

[Hyde]

I like the Don't stop when it hurts, stop when it's done. However I think for some of us it is a deleterious practice. I tend to love that kind of intensity to the point I do it too much and cause some overtraining that my joints have a hard time recovering from. I can remember a time when every set had 2 drop sets to failure. It was pretty ridiculous but I loved every minute of it of training like that. Unfortunately my joints did not.

Well, I meant more in the context of working through the burning stuff that’s not so fun. Those high rep stepups to a foam box are actually for strengthening my knees, but they do require I suck it up & do the work!

 

[MrKleen73]

Oh yeah, in that case the mental game is much more important. I have found the same thing with running, when I feel I can't go more as long as I don't stop I find out I have a lot more in me. It's just a different mindset. Similarly if I stop when tired even for a moment the rest of the run is far worse because I have already broken that resolve.

 

[Hyde]

Weighed 256.0 this morning (-9lbs).

Lowered Telmisartan from 80mg to 40mg 3 nights ago. BP around noon was 130/80 with pulse of 57 after 12oz coffee, so planning on keeping it there for now and monitoring. I’m still a good 10% heavier than pre-blast.

Pinned all of this week’s gear today (150 test /-100 mast). Aside from the 100mg of Mast E last Tuesday, last administration of long esters was 4 weeks ago today, so that will be more or less cleared out by next Thursday, besides a few mg of deca hanging around.

 

[MrKleen73]

Things look to be going quite well with your cycle recovery.

 

[SkRaw85]

Weighed 256.0 this morning (-9lbs).

Lowered Telmisartan from 80mg to 40mg 3 nights ago. BP around noon was 130/80 with pulse of 57 after 12oz coffee, so planning on keeping it there for now and monitoring. I’m still a good 10% heavier than pre-blast.

Pinned all of this week’s gear today (150 test /-100 mast). Aside from the 100mg of Mast E last Tuesday, last administration of long esters was 4 weeks ago today, so that will be more or less cleared out by next Thursday, besides a few mg of deca hanging around.

Remind me, how much deca were you utilizing during last blast?

 

[PoSiTiVeFLoW]

Oh yeah, in that case the mental game is much more important. I have found the same thing with running, when I feel I can't go more as long as I don't stop I find out I have a lot more in me. It's just a different mindset. Similarly if I stop when tired even for a moment the rest of the run is far worse because I have already broken that resolve.

Man is that ever true of rowing, running, swimming, and I guess some volume strength and core sets for me. Just gotta wait for the natural endorphins and endocannabinoid to kick-in and get "runners' high" and suddenly the pain goes away, lol. Some nootropic pre's help with this a bit using mushrooms and alpha GPC and the like.. Getting past "the wall".

 

[Hyde]

Remind me, how much deca were you utilizing during last blast?

250/wk for 10 weeks, but the last week was probably only maybe 200 tops (oils ran out faster than calculated due to parasitic needle loss). Seeing as this was in MCT oil, about 3 half-lives ago now for that 200mg, so around 25mg worth left by my estimate.

 

[Hyde]

9/29/22
BW 256.0

9 min walk
Bird Dogs
Side Planks

20” Stepups
BW x15
+35 3x15

Good Girls
50,90,110,130x15

Seated Calf Raise, tempo
45x15
70,95x12
120x10
30 second stretch while standing

Leg Extension, no lockout
50,100,150,180x20
210x15

Made the stepups higher & added more load throughout the workout. Doing leg extensions without locking out was a big “Aha!” moment; definitely got some decent work in without all of the knee stress.

 

[Rocket3015]

Good Girls but no Bad Girls ?

 

[Jeremyk1]

Made the stepups higher & added more load throughout the workout. Doing leg extensions without locking out was a big “Aha!” moment; definitely got some decent work in without all of the knee stress.

That’s kind of funny, I ended up doing the opposite. Getting any kind of stretch felt like it was putting strain on my kneecaps, so I’d get full extension and get the peak contraction, but only come down maybe 75 degrees. Also, things like squats have no stress on the quads at lockout, so it seemed like a good compliment to those.

 

[Hyde]

Good Girls but no Bad Girls ?

No need for myself specifically; there’s nothing that 200lbs on the abductor machine will do developmentally that months of +300lb boxsquats haven’t already done better.

Considering I don’t pull sumo, I don’t really need any extra hypertrophy on the outside of my thighs, comparatively. Not as much as I would benefit from targeting more relevant weaknesses with that time/energy.

That’s actually how I discovered the importance of Good Girls years ago: pulling my adductor from not having the complimentary strength to match the abduction of wide stance work.

That’s kind of funny, I ended up doing the opposite. Getting any kind of stretch felt like it was putting strain on my kneecaps, so I’d get full extension and get the peak contraction, but only come down maybe 75 degrees. Also, things like squats have no stress on the quads at lockout, so it seemed like a good compliment to those.

Gotta do whatever works best for you! All that matters is we get where we want to go, hopefully still in one piece.

 

[Rocket3015]

No need for myself specifically; there’s nothing that 200lbs on the abductor machine will do developmentally that months of +300lb boxsquats haven’t already done better.

Considering I don’t pull sumo, I don’t really need any extra hypertrophy on the outside of my thighs, comparatively. Not as much as I would benefit from targeting more relevant weaknesses with that time/energy.

That’s actually how I discovered the importance of Good Girls years ago: pulling my adductor from not having the complimentary strength to match the abduction of wide stance work.

This makes really good sense !!

 

[Hyde]

10/2/22
BW 255.0

10 min walk

Reverse Pec Deck
90 4x25

ss w/ Pec Deck
140 3x25

DB Seated OHP
20,40,60x15
70x12

Plate-loaded Chest Press
90x15
135 2x9
90x15 -> 45x15

Plate-Loaded NG Pulldown
35x15
80 3x12
105x8

Plate-loaded CSR
90 2x12
100x11

DB Dirty Thirties
30,40,45x10/10/10

Bar Cable Pressdown
49 4x25

Plate Front Raise to Overhead
45 3x12

A friend came up to me during rows at the gym to say he thought I intended to just take it easy this month - I told him this IS taking it easy!

“And this one is for the champions
I ain't lost since I began, yeah
Funny how you said it was the end, yeah
Then I went did it again, yeah

I told you long ago, on the road
I got what they waitin' for
I don't run from nothin', dog
Get your soldiers, tell 'em I ain't layin' low
You was never really rootin' for me anyway
When I'm back up at the top I wanna hear you say
He don't run from nothin', dog
Get your soldiers, tell 'em that the break is over”
-Industry Baby, Lil Nas X

 

[Rocket3015]

Yeah, I'm not sure I would call that "Taken It Easy" (Cue Song By The Eagles)

 

[RegisterJr]

I get now how much better it feels (easier?) on the body when you do DB, machine, or cable work instead of barbell.

I see on social media that at least one federation is requiring depth on pressing now, which will remove excessive (for lack of a better word in this context) arches. What’s your take?

 

[MrKleen73]

I get now how much better it feels (easier?) on the body when you do DB, machine, or cable work instead of barbell.

I see on social media that at least one federation is requiring depth on pressing now, which will remove excessive (for lack of a better word in this context) arches. What’s your take?

Interesting so they are measuring the stroke or distance the bar travels and have a minimum? If so are they going by height or something to adjust for arm length?

 

[gphagan1]

Interesting so they are measuring the stroke or distance the bar travels and have a minimum? If so are they going by height or something to adjust for arm length?

Yeah, I haven’t heard of that new rule. It seems like it would be very hard to accurately gauge. That’s so open to human error, as well, and with your bench altering the depth just slightly could have a profound effect on your “new” true max.

 

[Hyde]

I get now how much better it feels (easier?) on the body when you do DB, machine, or cable work instead of barbell.

I see on social media that at least one federation is requiring depth on pressing now, which will remove excessive (for lack of a better word in this context) arches. What’s your take?

People want to believe they train hard, but anyone who has ever done their entire workout with just a barbell, then tried it exclusively with machines & cables, knows the truth. They’re excellent tools, but there is no machine row to replace a barbell row.

Well, I have no problem with the rule, because it only affects about 15 people in the world. The only people with such radical spinal mobility are a handful of “top” women and teenage boys, maybe one 198 guy who does all of his lifts with God-awful form anyway. And none of those people deserve to be credited with their artificially inflated “bench press” numbers anyway.

Interesting so they are measuring the stroke or distance the bar travels and have a minimum? If so are they going by height or something to adjust for arm length?

The IPF simply said in their federation, the elbows need to come down at least as low as the center of the lifter’s shoulder joint (which is a very ambiguous range). You can have a very big arch to protect the shoulders, with huge glutes and upper back, and still meet this requirement no problem. The only reason it sees abuse in the IPF is because these select handful of little lifters are using a maximum legal comp grip and generally have no appreciable muscle development or body size, so they have room to pretzel themselves if they build the spinal mobility.

 

[Hyde]

10/3/22

10 min walk

Bird Dogs
Side Planks

KB Swings
53 2x25

GHR
BW 4x15

Standing Calves
60 5x10

alt w/ Back Extension Machine
70,100,120x25

Sled Push
+140 6x60ish feet

Seated Leg Curl
50x100 straight

Continuing to drive my conditioning up; more work done and rest periods getting more controlled.

Took a brisk 35 min walk last night with my family that would have destroyed me a month ago.

 

[MrKleen73]

Good to hear your wind is coming back nicely!

 

[Rocket3015]

Time with the family is priceless !!

 

[SkRaw85]

Death to The Exorcist bench press method! Get those “top 15” scumbags outta here with that garbage

 

[SkRaw85]

They now must work to earn their man/woman card again.

 

[Jeremyk1]

Death to The Exorcist bench press method! Get those “top 15” scumbags outta here with that garbage

Exorcist bench pressI’m dying.

 

[match]

Exorcist bench pressI’m dying.

Think maybe I'll learn to do this and smash some records in my weight class.

Don't hate the player, hate the spinal flexibility baby!

 

[SkRaw85]

Invalid Link Removed
“GIMME 3 INCHES AND MAKE IT HURT!!!!!”

 

[match]

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“GIMME 3 INCHES AND MAKE IT HURT!!!!!”

Hahahah I'm at my kids' karate class trying not to bust a gut laughing at this... don't wanna embarass myself.

That is way too funny. I love the weight belt too, gotta protect that lower back!!

 

[Hyde]

Death to The Exorcist bench press method! Get those “top 15” scumbags outta here with that garbage

I’m all for optimizing your technique and leverages, but to me powerlifting ideologically has always been about getting stronger - not becoming a mobility specialist.

 

[Jeremyk1]

Invalid Link Removed
“GIMME 3 INCHES AND MAKE IT HURT!!!!!”

Is that belt on backward?

 

[Rocket3015]

Is that belt on backward?

I believe it is !

 

[RegisterJr]

I’m all for optimizing your technique and leverages, but to me powerlifting ideologically has always been about getting stronger - not becoming a mobility specialist.

I would bet way more than 15 people will change their hobby

 

[MrKleen73]

I believe it is !

It looks like it wouldn't fit in the arch if on the right way.

 

[SkRaw85]

Is that belt on backward?

I put my belt on backwards for heavy Good Mornings. So it would make sense to wear it backwards for the “reverse good morning bench press”

 

[match]

Is that belt on backward?

Gotta protect from your spine bursting out of your abdomen like a newly born xenomorph.

 

[gphagan1]

I put my belt on backwards for heavy Good Mornings. So it would make sense to wear it backwards for the “reverse good morning bench press”

Ha, love it……Reverse Good Morning Bench Press……for only the most skilled, and limber, of Bench Pressers.
Hyde, I think you’ll have to incorporate Yoga in your workouts to accomplish this.

 

[match]

Hyde's log a year from now:

Reverse Good Morning Bench Press
Metric Ton x 1 PR

 

[Hyde]

I would bet way more than 15 people will change their hobby

Eh, good riddance. I was always drawn in by the hardcore, nose-bleed overly-invested side of the sport. I came into it watching old videos of Kirk Karwoski, Ed Coan, Andy Bolton, Chuck Vogelpohl, then the raw movement with guys like Brandon Lily, Dan Green, the Lilliebridges.

In the last decade there’s been a big surge in overall competitors, but most of them are Johnny 1-Meet natties more worried about getting content for their social media than ever improving their total again.

Hyde's log a year from now:

Reverse Good Morning Bench Press
Metric Ton x 1 PR

Invalid Link Removed

 

[match]

Invalid Link Removed

 

[Rocket3015]

Eh, good riddance. I was always drawn in by the hardcore, nose-bleed overly-invested side of the sport. I came into it watching old videos of Kirk Karwoski, Ed Coan, Andy Bolton, Chuck Vogelpohl, then the raw movement with guys like Brandon Lily, Dan Green, the Lilliebridges.

What about Gene Rychlak

 

[Hyde]

What about Gene Rychlak

Yeah he really was a brutally strong lifter, and by every account a wonderful guy, RIP. If you have ever seen meets where all the weights and racks were bright green, that was his powerlifting federation he started, RPS.

I mean Gene was not only a top dog in gear, but a phenomenally strong raw bencher as well.

 

[Rocket3015]

I same him lift at a meet my nephew was completing at. If I remember he was wearing Hot Pink Spandex Shorts, and I'm like who is this clown (Until he lifted)

 

[Dustin07]

I put my belt on backwards for heavy Good Mornings. So it would make sense to wear it backwards for the “reverse good morning bench press”

I've done mine backwards for oly lifts at time but if I get it tight enough and have a hard enough set it quickly leads to an anxiety attack as I desperately plead for someone to help get it off lolololol

 

[Rocket3015]

I've done mine backwards for oly lifts at time but if I get it tight enough and have a hard enough set it quickly leads to an anxiety attack as I desperately plead for someone to help get it off lolololol

I had to laugh reading this because it sounds like something I would do. I sometime have a panic attack try to get off my sweaty tank top. Glad I don't wear a sports bra !!

 

[MrKleen73]

I've done mine backwards for oly lifts at time but if I get it tight enough and have a hard enough set it quickly leads to an anxiety attack as I desperately plead for someone to help get it off lolololol

This is so funny I just mentioned this in my log about 2 months ago when I got stuck in my belt for probably 10 minutes doing my best not to give in to the panic. I had to get pretty creative to get it off, but was honestly close to grabbing my grinder and cutting through the belt to the buckle pin just to get out of it.

 

[Hyde]

10/5/22
BW 255.6 yesterday

10 min walk

Cable Tri Pressdown
38 4x25

alt w/ Cable Facepulls
49 2x25
38 2x25

DB Bench
60,80,100x15
120x12

Dips
20,14,11,11

Lat Pulldown warmup
66,88,110,143,187x6

Pull-ups
2,6,6,6 Overhand
2x7 Neutral

Added a set of pressdowns and facepulls, successfully went heavier on db bench, and added volume to dips & pull-ups. ‘‘Twas a good morning.

 

[Rocket3015]

I doughty I could do one pull up at 255

 

[Hyde]

10/6/22
BW 254.8

10 min walk
Bird Dogs
Side Planks

20” Stepups
BW x15
+45 3x15

Good Girls
50,80x15
110,120x12
130x10

Standing Calf Raise Machine
70 5x10
30 second loaded stretch after final set

Leg Extension, no lockout
30,70,110,140,170,200x20

Stir the Pot
2x30 seconds, then brutal ab cramp

300lb stepups for 45 total reps/leg, combined with the other work, had my legs looking bigger than at the competition for sure. I had genuine jelly-legs by the end, and my abs were so shot from the bracing work & stepups that they totally seized up for 10 minutes after the second stir the pot! Quite a finish.

 

[MrKleen73]

Sounds like an awesome workout and a horrendous ab cramp!

 

[Hyde]

I successfully weaned off Famotidine about a week ago. Dropped to a single dose for a couple days, then killed it. Acid reflux was really tough for about 5 days, but glutamine 3x a day, lower acid food choices and a few tums got me through the healing process. Appetite has definitely come up a lot, which feels really great even though I am restricting calories. I gladly prefer to suffer a little hunger if it makes eating healthier food on schedule easy.

Got a CT scan Wednesday of the heterotopic ossification in my left elbow & appointment with the surgeon in downtown Chicago for the Wednesday after next to discuss getting these cut out so I can get my overhead and curling ROM back - excited for that!

Saw Scott Smith last night & discussed my meet results, goals, & what’s next for my training. We both agreed that getting my elbow mobility back with the surgery so I can build up my front delts again (they were always a strongpoint until my elbow prevented overhead/incline work), and continuing to hammer my triceps, will be what pushes my bench into the 400s eventually without just gaining more weight. Scott said he has so many spurs around his right elbow now his doctor told him it looks like a coral reef, and would need a total replacement if he wants to try to ever straighten it fully again. But at one point when competing he hit a 555 raw closegrip bench with a grip so close his thumb KNUCKLE touched the smooth.

 

[MrKleen73]

Good to hear on getting things fixed up, and yeah your front delts were getting pretty ridiculous there for a bit. That picture that is on the front of your thread on the app they look sick!!!